Part 30 (2/2)

[Sidenote: The same subject.]

'We delight to introduce new men to the Senate, but we delight still more when we can bring back to that venerable body, crowned with fresh honours, her own offspring[279]. And such is now my fortune in presenting to you Importunus, crowned with the honours of the Patriciate; Importunus, who is descended from the great stock of the Decii, a stock ill.u.s.trated by n.o.ble names in every generation, by the favour of the Senate and the choice of the people. Even as a boy he had a countenance of serene beauty, and to the gifts of Nature he added the endowments of the mind. From his parents in household lays he learned the great deeds of the old Decii. Once, at a great spectacle, the whole school at the recitation of the Lay of the Decii turned their eyes on Importunus, discerning that he would one day rival his ancestors. Thus his widowed mother brought him up, him and all his troop of brothers, and gave to the Curia as many Consulars as she had sons[280]. All these private virtues I have discerned in him, and now seal them with promotion to the Patriciate. At this act I call on you specially to rejoice.'

[Footnote 279: 'Origo ipsa jam gloria est: laus n.o.bilitati connascitur. Idem vobis est dignitatis, quod vitae principium. Senatus enim honor amplissimus vobisc.u.m gignitur, ad quem vix maturis aetatibus pervenitur.']

[Footnote 280: 'Et quot edidit familiae juvenes, tot reddidit curiae consulares.']

7. KING THEODORIC TO THE VENERABLE JANUARIUS, BISHOP OF SALONA.

[Sidenote: Extortion by the Bishop of Salona.]

'The lamentable pet.i.tion of John says that you have taken sixty tuns of oil from him, and never paid him for them. It is especially important that preachers of righteousness should be righteous themselves. We cannot suppose that G.o.d is ignorant whence come the offerings which we make before Him [and He must therefore hate robbery for a burnt offering]. Pray enquire into this matter, and if the complaint be well founded remedy it promptly. You who preach to us our duty in great things should not be caught tripping in little ones.'

8. KING THEODORIC TO VENANTIUS, SENATOR, CORRECTOR OF LUCANIA AND BRUTTII.

[Sidenote: Remissness of Venantius in collection of public revenue.]

[Venantius, son of Liberius, was, with many high commendations, made Comes Domesticorum in Letters ii. 15 and 16. See further as to his fall in iii. 36, also iii. 46.]

'Remissness in the collection of the public taxes is a great fault, and no kindness in the end to the taxpayer. For want of a timely caution you probably have to end by selling him up.

'The Count of Sacred Largesses tells us that you were long ago commissioned to get in the _Bina_ and _Terna_ [and have not done so].

Be quick about it, that the collection may be completed according to the registers of the Treasury. If you are not quick, and the Treasury suffers loss, you will have to make it good out of your private property. You have not shown proper respect to our orders, nor a due sense of the obligation of your own promise.'

[These 'Bina' and 'Terna' are a mystery; but Dahn[281] thinks they are not a specially Gothic tax, but an inheritance from the fiscal administration of Rome, having probably nothing to do with the Tertiae.]

[Footnote 281: iii. 145, _n._ 4.]

9. KING THEODORIC TO THE POSSESSORES, DEFENSORES, AND CURIALES[282]

DWELLING AT AESTUNAE[283].

[Footnote 282: Note these three cla.s.ses; as also in ii. 17.]

[Footnote 283: I have not been able to identify this place.]

[Sidenote: Marbles for Ravenna.]

'We wish to build new edifices without despoiling the old[284]. But we are informed that in your munic.i.p.ality there are blocks of masonry and columns formerly belonging to some building now lying absolutely useless and unhonoured. If it be so, send these slabs of marble[285]

and columns[286] by all means to Ravenna, that they may be again made beautiful and take their place in a building there.'

[Footnote 284: 'Moderna sine priorum imminutione desideramus erigere.']

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